All posts by Crystal

Uncertainty

Gratitude
  1. When I’m not sure what to do, which means I’m about to learn something
  2. Learning about wild ginseng in Ohio, quite the export
  3. Connecting
  4. Compassion
  5. Deep breath
  6. Sitting with discomfort
  7. With, hopefully, good posture
  8. Great resources from Sally
  9. Paying attention
  10. This

Change

Gratitude
  1. When things change, there’s always some element of good
  2. Good report that my gpa is doing well after cataract surgery
  3. My gna who’s his loving nurse and patient driver
  4. Watching funny videos with my husband
  5. My infant is looking more baby-like and less newborn-like, bittersweet
  6. Research
  7. Tea
  8. Health
  9. My smiling toddler
  10. This

Late

Gratitude
  1. Writing even though it’s late and I’m grumpy
  2. Having different priorities and opinions
  3. Getting through
  4. Not telling the story of “this is hard” because it’s all relative
  5. Deep inhale. Long exhale.
  6. Nature
  7. Phlox, have a beautiful white one now
  8. It’s not just me
  9. Care
  10. Love

Phew

Gratitude
  1. Keeping my cool
  2. noticing when I was rushing
  3. Getting to the heart of things
  4. sweetness
  5. taking over
  6. A fun, quick, brain candy book
  7. mental vacation
  8. nap
  9. the hard days actually only being hard moments, and everyone can be cool for a moment
  10. this

Thank you

Gratitude
  1. For patience, which is like a muscle and gets stronger the more you use it
  2. For the two most wonderful daughters on earth
  3. For learning every single day
  4. For my amazing partner, who takes over the moment I reach my limit, and who makes it look so easy and loving
  5. For the way he loves our daughters, just as deeply, but it looks so different and fun
  6. For his unquestioning help, especially the last two weeks
  7. For taking a moment to be grateful, even when I just want to sleep
  8. For little feet, baby smells, soft breathing, tiny hands, velvet skin, and the deep, precious pools of my newborn’s eyes
  9. Toddler hugs and the way only mama can fix it, may I savor every moment of that
  10. This

Pine

Gratitude
  1. Watched my husband fell a 90′ pine today
  2. and even helped a little, thanks to my infant being a good sleeper
  3. I sent him to the store yesterday and forgot to put buns on the list, so I made my own- fun and yummy and plastic-free! (Plastic bags make my stomach hurt with sadness so this is permanently on my list of things to do)
  4. Reading Two Winters in a Tipi and it’s fantastic
  5. A call from a beautiful friend
  6. Who also knows lots about herbs, which makes my day to learn at her feet
  7. Things are settling down a bit with my toddler and she’s adjustig to our newish routines with the baby
  8. My baby is growing even as I look at her
  9. My husband, their father
  10. This

Stories

Gratitude
  1. Gorgeous handpicked flowers from a friend
  2. Validation
  3. keeping at it, even through failure after failure
  4. Not wanting to be grateful, and then realizing that’s exactly what I need and want the most- instead of wanting other things to change, I really only truly want inner change to accept what is with grace and presence
  5. Sleepy baby sounds (finally:)
  6. My amazing, intelligent, strong-willed toddler
  7. Mystery and not knowing
  8. Garrett’s thoughtfulness to send a note about a potential threat to the blog
  9. Fresh clean teeth
  10. This

High energy, curious mind

Gratitude
  1. Rhythms
  2. Rhymes- I am reading “Catch Me and Kiss Me and Say It Again” to my toddler and she loves it
  3. A huge bag of apparently unworn infant clothes from a friend’s sister, so grateful!
  4. Chat with a friend, albeit punctuated with toddler conversation
  5. Making a better plan for handling things
  6. Resources
  7. Barley flour pizza dough
  8. Veggies from my neighbor’s garden and the farmer’s market- squash, zucchini, tomatoes, kale, green onions, sweet corn
  9. Remembering to be impeccable with my word
  10. This, this

Surprise

Gratitude
  1. Awhile back I bought an echinacea plant from the farmer’s market. Now that it’s blooming I looked up how to harvest it- and found out purple coneflower (which I already have a lot of) is echinacea!? Love learning something right under my nose.
  2. Inspiring mamas
  3. Generous ones, too. May I always be so generous as those who have given to me
  4. Good news from the doc today, well as good as it can be, so thank you God
  5. There are so many things I think to put on my list throughout the day and then forget, so I’m grateful I have a grateful mind
  6. Sleep, which aids memory:)
  7. A quiet evening. My MIL stayed through this morning, and tonight the girls and I slowly settled into our new life together
  8. Trial and error
  9. Time and attention
  10. This